Unusual Diffuse Hair Loss in a 35-Year-Old Taiwanese Man
December 2008
in “
中華皮膚科醫學雜誌
”
TLDR The man's hair loss was due to syphilis, and his hair regrew after treatment.
A 35-year-old Taiwanese man experienced gradual diffuse hair loss on his scalp and eyebrows over 2 months, following a transient maculopapular eruption after an influenza vaccination. Despite initial treatment with 5% minoxidil, his condition worsened. Blood tests revealed syphilis, confirmed by a positive Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay and a high RPR titer. After treatment with benzathine benzylpenicillin, the patient showed significant hair regrowth within 2 months and a reduction in RPR titer, indicating successful treatment of the underlying syphilis.
